Ask HN: How do you guys prevent back problems? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How do you guys prevent back problems?

#31

Post by javaIsGreat » Sat, May 04, 2019, 6:20 PM UTC

If i dont get light cardio exercise in a few days time my back tightens up, my knees hurt, and i dont look forward to sitting for hours at a time.

Commuting by bicycle 3 miles to work helps a lot. Basically prevents my back and knee pain.

Walking a mile bus station to work helps as well but not as effective as biking.

Getting up for water, coffee, and bathroom as frequently as possible to keep the blood flowing in my body helps as well even though people around you give you looks for moving around so much (and not working lol).

Re: Ask HN: How do you guys prevent back problems?

#32

Post by mud_dauber » Sat, May 04, 2019, 6:32 PM UTC

Yoga, planks, pushups, back extensions, squats, dead lifts, and (the real kicker) TRX straps.

Re: Ask HN: How do you guys prevent back problems?

#33

Post by synapse0 » Sat, May 04, 2019, 6:35 PM UTC

jakobloekke wrote: post #9

k0t0n0 wrote: post #8

deadlift worked well for me

But absolutely not recommended unless you already have a strong back!

Deadlifts will make your back strong. You can start with almost zero weight and slowly work your way up. At any age. I really mean any age, even 85 or 90yo

Re: Ask HN: How do you guys prevent back problems?

#34

Post by truth_seeker » Sat, May 04, 2019, 8:14 PM UTC

If you can do surya namaskar, it will help in mnay ways

or just do Bhujangasana

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhujangasana

Re: Ask HN: How do you guys prevent back problems?

#35

Post by tugberkk » Sat, May 04, 2019, 9:56 PM UTC

I would like to recommend something different: Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection

This book shows that almost 90% of back pain is psychosomatic.

Here is Amazon link, feel free to read customer reviews: https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connectio...

Re: Ask HN: How do you guys prevent back problems?

#36

Post by flarg » Sat, May 04, 2019, 10:36 PM UTC

IME that's enough. I spent my early working life in a job where I had to stand and walk all day and my back muscles retain that strength even to this day. I still stand at work, now out of choice, and have never had back pain.

Re: Ask HN: How do you guys prevent back problems?

#37

Post by hebetude » Sat, May 04, 2019, 11:18 PM UTC

Squats stronglifts.com

Focus more on form than putting up more weight

Re: Ask HN: How do you guys prevent back problems?

#38

Post by hammock » Sun, May 05, 2019, 1:15 AM UTC

Lift heavy. A stronger back and core will protect against injury and also naturally improve your posture.

Re: Ask HN: How do you guys prevent back problems?

#39

Post by raindropm » Sun, May 05, 2019, 2:36 AM UTC

Like everyone said, strengthen your back muscle, glute and whatever muscle that weakened by sitting for too long — is the way to go.

What works for me personally is Foundation Training by Dr. Eric Goodman. You can search Youtube and try their basic 12 minutes exercise. I've tried quite a different way to combat my back pain, but this one gets me a good result.

A standing desk is good, but you eventually, inevitably, have to sit and work. So, make your back stronger is more of a long term solution. Good luck! :)

Re: Ask HN: How do you guys prevent back problems?

#40

Post by godot » Sun, May 05, 2019, 3:51 AM UTC

I personally don't buy into the standing desk trend; I often feel that my back gets sore more if I stand for any extended periods of time.

I'm entering my late 30s this year and I've never really had any back pain/problems. I don't know what my secrets are, but I have a gut feeling it might be because I never sit still. Even when I'm coding, I just naturally tend to move my body every couple of minutes. You could say I have a problem staying still since I was a child, but it may be what helped me to never have any muscle stiffness issue.